Elevating Businesses With Video - Video Production Academy

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in video content but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lee Midlane, Founder of Video Production Academy, located in Elgin, Moray, Scotland.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

The Video Production Academy helps tech-stressed business owners create videos for their businesses so that they can be confident on camera and connect effectively with their audience.

Tell us about yourself

I know how hard it is to show up on camera. Actually, I know how hard it is to show up at all. You see, I'm off the scale when it comes to being an introvert. There are no photos of me from being about 15 until very recently. Yes, I'm shy, but it has always been more than that. I didn't even like speaking in a room of people I knew – and networking events left me counting the seconds until I could make for the door and escape. And yet I chose the path of being an entrepreneur – more than once as well! I started off in television and radio production, including teaching for a number of years in colleges, and through a curious series of twists and turns, I ended up working as a self-employed chocolatier for nearly 10 years. It was a business with so much potential, but being in rural Scotland, we never quite made it work.

I was asked to go and manage a local computer repair shop, and as I had quite a lot of experience in retail and a technical(ish) background, I felt it was something I could do. The learning curve was huge, both in terms of business and technical aspects as well. After 22 months there, the owner decided to close the business, and I had the decision to make. What was I going to do next?

I could see that there was a need for an IT shop in the town centre. Somewhere open and accessible to everyone. So many technology shops are so masculine that it's intimidating for women to even walk through the door. I didn't want that. I knew that I wanted people to feel looked after and cared for when they used our services, so I developed IT Central to be just that. Less than 40% of technology jobs are taken by women – and I don't know any other female-led computer repair shop anywhere. Our mission is to help people; it just happens to be through supporting them with their technology.

Being on the frontline, I had so many conversations with customers who would tell me how they were tech-illiterate around computers. You wouldn't drive a car without lessons, and you wouldn't run a marathon without training, but somehow people believed that they should just be able to use a computer because it was there. The other thing that I could see is how business owners, especially women, were held back because they saw technology as a barrier. And I wanted to do something about that. Maybe it's the teacher within me, but I knew this was where I could make a difference. This began the journey toward the Video Production Academy. So here I am, back to being a video educator. But there was a snag…

In order to teach online and tell others my message, I would need to be on camera. I had a responsibility to represent my business, especially because I'm a female CEO and Founder of a technology business, and there aren't many of us around. I knew I had to do this, I didn't want to, but it was time to show up.

During the lockdown, I had the opportunity to take some online courses. I understood what I needed to do to connect with people; after all, I was watching others do it so perfectly. I learned by taking in what I was being taught, but also the way in which they were teaching. I watched everything at two different levels – one as a student and the other as an observer to see what elements I would want to produce in my own work. I had to learn my craft. I needed to become confident on camera, even though I'd avoided it for over 30 years. So I put my big girl pants on and went live on Facebook for 30 days straight, and something changed. It got easier, and I got better. This was a journey that I had to work my own way through. I continued to read books by respected and knowledgeable authors and changed my digital mentors to align more with the journey that I found myself on.

It took a little while to see the impact of this work. In fact, it was only when I got intentional about showing up that things started to gather momentum. I've now been a guest on multiple podcasts and summits, even hosting a podcast of my own. People have connected with me from around the world through podcasts, social media, and LinkedIn. Recently I was asked to deliver a workshop at a conference for businesswomen, and I'm scheduled to deliver a boot camp at a prestigious UK university at the start of 2023. My journey of learning how to be confident on camera has become my message. I'm still teaching people about all aspects of video production, but the first stage is showing up, and for so many, that is a stumbling block. I'm developing a series of courses alongside developing a YouTube channel because I know that I can open the gateway to video content creation for the camera-shy and tech-stressed business owners who know they should be using video but need someone to walk the journey with them.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Oh my! That's a tough question. I think as business owners, we're used to keeping our heads down and just getting on with what needs to be done - and we're actually really bad at celebrating the wins. I think my biggest accomplishment would probably be the fact that I'm still a business owner (of two businesses) despite the difficult trading climate that we are working within for so many different reasons. Resilience and good humour are such keys to this way of life!

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Sometimes being a business owner can be a very lonely place to be. The only other people who understand are other business owners. Sometimes it's hard to find someone else to talk things through with because other people just don't get it.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Make sure you do your homework before you start your business. Successful businesses are not built on wishful thinking. They are built on preparation and hard work.+
Be ready to get out of your comfort zone - it's where you learn and grow the most - and as a successful business owner, you may spend a lot of time there!
And finally, give yourself a resilience check. Starting, running, and growing a business is hard work, and there are days that can be incredibly difficult - resilience and tenacity will get you through. Your journey is your journey; surround yourself with positive people who will hold you up when it gets tough and have the resilience to follow through. You. Can. Do. This.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.videoproductionacademy.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/videocreationsmartphones/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/videoproductionacademy/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-midlane-29110024/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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